Friday, May 29, 2015

Thursday, May 28, 2015

" If dreams are supposed to be unique then why are we all dreaming the same dream? Is it really all about health and wealth? What are you believing God for in your life? Choose to live out His dream and not your own."

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Supplies: - a beachball or similar light weight ball- enough pool noodles for every two people.

Playing Area: a poolRules and Game Explanation:The simple explanation: it is he old game of "Pool Chicken Fight" meets the game of "Equestrian Polo".

Set up & Play

- Divide into two teams and then have everyone pair up.

- Have one person choose to be the "Horse" and the other the "Rider" or assume "Chicken Fight" positions.

- Have each team go to opposite ends of the pool/playing area.

- Set up a goal at each end or simply have the each end wall be the goal.

- Hand each rider a pool noodle.

- Set the ball in the center of the playing area or at "Go" throw it out into the pool

The Rules

- the players must hit the ball using only their pool noodle to score a goal

- No hands or body parts are allowed to hit the ball

- You can decide if you would like to allow pushing and knocking other players off into the water- that is where the "Chicken Fight" element comes in.

* It is a great game to slow down the chicken fights that usually happen at pool parties and also gets more people involved that may not want to only chicken fight.=
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*DRY LAND ALTERNATIVE :
In your indoor playing area (gym...) or even on an outdoor playing area. Play "PIGGY BACK POOL NOODLE POLO". Similar rules and idea as above. Using a light ball/beach ball and pool noodles have a goal set up at each end of your playing area. The biggest obvious difference for safety is riders will be riding piggy-back style instead of on someone's shoulders!

* NOTE: In a gym setting we have sometimes replaced the pool noodle with hockey sticks but still used a beach ball!!

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

“Together with Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment, the DC Super Hero Girls franchise will further expand our already powerful girls portfolio,” said Richard Dickson, Mattel President and COO, in a press release. The franchise is intended to “engage and inspire girls, providing cues to explore heroic acts through play and into real life.”

Targeting girls ages 6 to 12, the new line “includes all of the key components of a comprehensive entertainment experience—from content to consumer products,” stated Brad Globe, President of Warner Bros. Consumer Products.....

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

A Sneaky, Full Camp, All-Day or Longer Game That Includes Every Students. A Way to Get to Know Each Other While Also Finding a Way to ASSASSINATE Them!? Supplies:
- Small (pocket-size) inexpensive squirt guns: enough for every single student & leaders
- Print off of every student name on small strip of paper)

Game Play/ExplanationSimple explanation: every person has the name of another person that they must "assassinate" and to continue the game before they are assassinated.

Set up:
- Print off and cut into small strips of a paper every student and leaders name, putting them all in a container
- Put all the small squirt guns in to a large container
- At breakfast or the first thing in the morning have every person get a squirt gun and grab one slip of paper with a name on it (they can not get their own name)
- People should not tell anyone whose name they have

Game Play:
- Once everyone has a gun and a name they game will begin.
- Player will have the rest of the day to try to assassinate the person they have without anyone seeing using their little squirt gun.
- Once they have assassinate their target the target must they hand over their slip of paper and the game continues.
- The person who was assassinated it now out of the game, the assassin continues by now working the assassinate the next target.
- The game continue all while the assassin is themselves being hunted as well.Rules/Helps:
- No Assassinations during worship/services times or during "small group times/discussion times"
- The assassination weapon is ONLY the little squirt guns. Other squirt guns, hoses, buckets...do not count.
- There can be NO WITNESSES to the actual assassination shot. If someone sees the actual shot, it does not count and the assassin has to try again. (*examples: if someone can sneak up behind someone in line and shot someone before someone see- it counts. if someone can shoot someone under the table at a meal-it counts. ) People can be around and it can happen in a public place or in a crowd, the shot and/or gun just can not be seen.

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

"Vine is today introducing a new layer of the service called Vine Kids. It’s meant to be a safe, kid-friendly space for a younger audience to play around with the app and watch vines.

The app pulls from the millions of Vines being created on the platform and chooses ones that are appropriate for children. The interface of the Kids section of the app has also been tailored to be more fun for children, showing a new Vine each time the user swipes left or right and playing “quirky” sounds each time the user taps the screen.

From the official blog post:

The idea came about during an office conversation in early January. One of my colleagues was talking about how much his two-year-old daughter loves Vine –– he said he wished there was a separate app she could use to more easily watch posts that are appropriate for kids. That week happened to be Hack Week, a time when we get to work on projects outside of our day-to-day work. So two folks teamed up and built exactly that.

Monday, May 11, 2015

10. ...that is waiting for a ride home 30 minutes after the event ends.9. ...crying halfway through the lock-in (*boy-getting hurt or girl- drama). 8. .... that read one book, one time, and now know all there is to know about a topic!7. .... that is eating like it is their last meal ever!6. .... trying to sneak off with their friend or girlfriend. 5. .... can't understand why they have to put away their cellphone. 4. ....that falls asleep during the sermon in main service. 3. .... tries to sign up the day of the event (even though sign up was 2 weeks ago) 2. .... overshares during prayer requests1. ....that is your favorite and you wish you had 10 more of(**Even though you don't have "favorites")

Thursday, May 7, 2015

This is not the usual "Teaching Clip" for you to use with your students this week, this is actually a teaching clip FOR YOU! No matter if you agree or disagree with Dallas Seminary's theology, take the time listen to this recent chapel. It is worth it!

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

It is the question that students, parents and others ask us so very often. We study, plan and prepare getting ready for that moment when we stand up in front of our students and begin to speak. We are paid to communicate the greatest truths imaginable. We have the privilege as well as the responsibility to teach students, but what are we REALLY teaching our students? Very little of our teaching and communication is actually what comes out of our mouth. What we are really teaching is taught more in through our body, tone, and what we do not say then through our actual words.

We live in an
increasingly non-verbal world, where the medium is the message. More and more
of personal and interpersonal communications are actually spoken, while the
church continues to hold for the most part to a spoken, lecture model of
communicating.However this is not to
say that we should give up on this week’s youth group lesson, instead texting
out our notes and Instagram our slides.We just need to more than ever be aware that 55% of what is being
taught is through our body, 38% of what we are communicating is through the
tone of voice, while the remain 7% is through actual spoken word.

•Body

In addition to the usual traditional ideas
about gestures and posture there are two more things related to our body to
remember that will communicate before and throughout what we are teaching.

oDress-for the crowd you are speaking to.
Be aware of the demographic, culture and setting. Dress in ways that will
connect and not distract from what you are trying to teach.

oDistance-from your listeners will
determine whether you are heard.It is
not about sound, it is about being with and talking to students.An old teacher of mine told me 2 things that
have stuck with me over the year: 1. “Be a guide on the side and not a sage on the
stage.” 2. “Get off your seat and
stay on your feet.”If you
are seeking to teach not just speak, you must be willing to move to your
students. Be more than a “talking head” upfront, but a “walking friend” along
side throughout a lesson.

•Tone

It is not a personality thing or style
issue it is awareness. Think about speaking TO students, not speaking AT
them.While you may be passionate and
excited, both are great things, make sure you are not coming off angry or
upset.Both will turn off a listener and
stop your message before it hits a student’s ear.

Secondly be aware of your humor and what
things you make light of.Often when we
are talking about uncomfortable topics, the default setting is to try to remove
the tension by joking.These topics
often are the ones that are the most difficult to speak on in your groups but
are the ones that we need to speak most honestly about.Making these topics cute or funny
communicates that these topics are not to be taken as serious, which become a
lesson all its own.

•Actual
Words

It is not what you say, as much as what you
don’t say that will become a second lesson.In academic teaching terms it is called the “null curriculum”.It is the idea that the things we don’t or
won’t teach on still communicate about that topic.Similar to the above idea of lighten up a
setting on a tough topic, often we completely avoid speaking all on a
topic.Whether it is because of our
personal reasons or an organizational philosophy, not saying anything often
speaks louder than what we are saying. It best to actually speak on and to a
topic directly than to not say anything at all.

Another term used in academic teaching
settings is the “implicit curriculum”. The term refers to the implied expectations
and values of a setting, speaker or church.Once again the unspoken words often communicate louder than actual
words.Especially in youth ministry
settings with new students coming to our ministry or even students who have
been around a while getting comfortable with our group and us.It okay to articulate expectations and even
core values, making everyone aware of what is expected and what is important.

Think back at the things you have
learned and how you have learned them.Remember those people who taught you the most and changed your
life.While we can all think back about
a few great lesson or sermons, the things we learn and shaped us more often
caught than taught. So as you prepare this week to teach and speak, as yourself
the question that everyone else asks you, what ARE you teaching this week?It may be much more than you thought?

We don’t care about how Kanye & Kim didn’t care when Amy Schumer ‘fell over’.We don’t care about who the Kardashians are or aren’t sleeping with.We don’t care that Kim dyed her hair blonde.We don’t care about the Kardashians......" READ MORE AT "THE DAILY WHAT?"

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* CONSIDER USING THIS WITH A LESSON ON POPULARITY, MEDIA, OR FAME!

** Here is also a great 3 part series that I did a few years ago for a retreat called "Famous One" (Click here) about fame, pride and making God the only one that is famous!

Monday, May 4, 2015

You know them. You know who they are. The name(s) just pop in your head. After doing youth ministry for so many years at multiple churches, at every single church and sometimes in every group each year... THERE IS ALWAYS ONE STUDENT....10. ...that doesn't know how to whisper when talking during your lesson.9. ....who forgets their sleeping bag on a trip.8. ... that asks a question during announcements about the exact thing you just said.7. ....that thinks they are the exception to the rules.6.... shows up in an inappropriate swimsuit to the pool party.5. ...boy that doesn't understand axe body spray does not equal a shower. 4... that needs to stop for an emergency bathroom stop3. ....that has no musical talent but wants to be on the worship team.2. ... that thinks the last youth pastor was soooo much better than you will ever be.1. ...KNOWS IT ALL!!!!To Be Continued.....